For years I had a cat. He was all black and his name was Anakin. I bought him from one of those Petco adopt an animal weekends because the cat followed me around.

I loved my cat. He waited for me at the door. When I wrote novels, he sat besides me. When I had people over, if he didn’t like you it was obvious. If he liked you, which was far more common, it was always pet me, pet me, pet me. Anakin Skywalker was the best cat. He was there, and yes he was spoiled. I fed him only the best foods.

Then in January 2013 I went on my FRW writers cruise. I left the cat with my Grandma, which he always liked. She spoiled him too. Then I came home, picked him up, and something was wrong with him. He wouldn’t eat. I called the vet. He had terminal cancer. Just like that, my cat was dying. I called my mom, and I was sad. Two days later, my cat died. There was no warning signs. Over the summer he had a full workup at the vet’s office and there was no signs of cancer. I felt like a terrible person.

And friends tried to cheer me up. They offered to take me to get a new cat. Now I remember when our family cat died years ago as well, so it’s not my first pet mourning period.

Anakin was special though. He stuck with me when I was sad, angry, happy, excited, whatever. He was very much part of my single life family.

I drove by the shelter once but I didn’t want to go inside. Something told me that change was coming to my life and that I ought not to get another pet at this moment.

A short while later, I met my now husband, and part thinks the cat died and ensured I’d meet the guy. To me my cat was that much of a person and hardly acted like he was a cat.

This probably makes no sense and logically I agree with you. But I think Anakin knew I’d be fine and checked out. The vet told me that my cat was way older than what they told me at PETCO and was likely lived longer because I took him home.

So before I pack for RWA, today’s blog is dedicated to my Anakin Skywalker. He helped me write novels and find my husband. (At least that’s how I view it. So thank you Anakin.)

Oh and this time the husband is going on the cruise in 2015 with me.

And in the future I should get more animals to my characters.